


Two Australians in Shetland - Part 1 - Pre-Jimmy

by chrislouise



Category: Shetland (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-29
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-04-14 13:07:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14136660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chrislouise/pseuds/chrislouise
Summary: Caprice and Jermaine arrive in Shetland and get to know the locals.  They meet other Shetland characters.  Caprice doesn't see eye-to-eye with Duncan Hunter.  Otherwise they grow to enjoy living in Shetland."Sometimes the snow falls down in June.  Sometimes the sun goes round the moon."(Save the Best for Last, Vanessa Williams)





	1. August

**Author's Note:**

> Hi All. I have finally finished Part 1. It has taken some time, as you will appreciate trying to fit it in with my everyday chores and work and daughter Jemima (the real-life Jermaine). Today I was sick and couldn't do much. I spent most of the day in bed so thought this was the time to finish it.
> 
> Now I must embark on Part 2. As others has input some stories, some of which I have read, some I still need to read, Part 2 won't be right next to Part 1, but you should see how the story continues.
> 
> Oh - and I should tell you what Caprice and Jermaine look like. They are based on me and Jemima. We are not suntanned - not many Aussies are these days. Caprice is petite, pale-faced, brown wavy hair, blue eyes and likes girly clothes. Jermaine is fair-skinned but a bit darker than her mother due to her father being of Maltese origin (like my husband) with brown hair, brown eyes, nearly as tall as her mother but still growing.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caprice and Jermaine arrive in Shetland and get to know their new surroundings and the locals, including artist Freya Galdie.

Dear Alex

We have arrived safely in Lerwick. We have been in planes and airports for just over two days but it seems like an eternity. The plane from Edinburgh to Lerwick was small and bumpy, and I felt so giddy, even after taking my Kwells. But I managed not to be sick. I had to crouch a few times, much to Jermaine’s embarrassment. Jermaine had a few Kwells but doesn’t seem to suffer motion sickness the same way that I do.

We didn’t speak much at the airport, so didn’t get many stares because of our accents. I guess we’ll get some of that when we settle in the city. But we got a few funny stares at our Qantas bags. Edinburgh is more cosmopolitan, but it seems not many Shetlanders are familiar with the name of the Aussie airline. The official didn’t blink when I spoke to him. He was expecting a couple of Aussies arriving, and did his business as he stamped our passports and I showed him my work permit. We did get a stare from our taxi driver. He asked what we were doing in Shetland, and no doubt we will get that question from many people. When I told him, he said, “You’re here to make a new start?” “I guess so,” I said.

Interesting drive through the countryside and city and suburbs before we got to the house we are to rent. Ahead of us was a van full of boxes. It went the same direction as us right to the house, so I realised this was the van with our stuff, anything sentimental that we wanted to bring from Australia, including small bits of furniture. It was dear to send it all here, but I think we’re going to be in Scotland for a very long time.

What was most interesting, something to put a smile of my face after all the upsets of Mick’s passing were these humungus Viking ships. I saw a few, but the biggest one was on the beach by the CBD. I tried to get Jermaine’s attention. As usual she was engrossed in her ipad in the backseat, and by the time she looked up, we had passed the Viking ship. I asked the driver what it was and he said it was being made for Up Helly Aa. What?? He explained it is a fire festival, exclusive to Shetland – no it isn’t a celebration in other parts of Scotland. It represents New Year, held at the end of January, and relates to old mid-winter feasts, and the Viking heritage that Shetland has. He said the ships get burned during the night. I shook my head and said, “Spend all year making something that gets burnt? What a waste.”  
“Aye it is, but that’s what we do.”  
I couldn’t help saying that it reminds me of the Wickerman. The driver laughed. “Wickerboat.”  
“And it’s not till the end of January but already they are making the boats? It’s only August.”  
“Aye, they work on them all year.”  
Well – something to look forward to, that we’ve never seen before. Hope it lifts our spirits.

We finally arrived to the house we are renting. The van arrived just before us, so the guys didn’t to wait long for me to tell them where to put the various boxes. Our house is like what we would call a maisonette. One-story house divided into two mirror-image parts. No upstairs like a lot of homes in the UK. Though I noticed some of the Shetland homes don’t have a total upstairs, if that makes sense. They have one little upstairs room like an attic. We don’t even have that. Not that it bothers me. I never wanted a two-story place back in Australia. More work trying to keep the stairs clean.

Our landlady lives in the other side of the residence. Her name is Miriam McLaren. She came out as soon as she saw me talking to the van guys. A petite woman, a little bit taller than me, with shoulder-length white hair and a kind motherly face. I would say she is in her early 70’s. She looks at me as a daughter figure and I’m 52. She introduced herself, opened up, showed us round the home and gave us the keys. Then left us to settle in. 

We are both too tired to unpack. We only got out what we need for tonight. But Jermaine is never too tired for her ipad. I got out my laptop, and to Jermaine’s delight, the wi-fi connection in the neighbourhood is working – whatever their equivalent is to our NBN. So I am able to use my laptop and send this email to you. And yes I promise I will email regularly and tell you all the things we are doing. But I know there will be times when I need to grieve over Mick and may be too upset to write – or write you a miserable email. 

But please don’t worry about our welfare. We will be fine. It is early days to say whether I made the right move coming to UK, but if most Shetlanders are anything like Miriam and our taxi-driver, I think we are going to like it here. They seem friendly enough and easy to talk to.  
Jermaine says hello as I write this. She will be emailing her friend Marie on a regular basis.  
I’ll write soon.  
Your loving sister Caprice.

_____________________________________________________________

Dear Marie  
We are settling into Lerwick ok. Lots of things to do, at least keeping ourselves busy stops us from getting upset too much over Dad – at least Mum tells me so. She has been flat-out organising her work, my school, where the shops are, particularly the ones in town that are open after 5.30, which is when she gets back to town from work.

Like some of her short term jobs in Adelaide, she has to catch two buses, one to town, and one to one of the other coastal parts of Lerwick, where one of the branches Shetland Transport is. Her job is to do data entry, keying details of various forms to do with transport. I wonder if she sees anything like what the guys in the van dealt with when they delivered our goods.

I am going to Brae High School. Everything seems to be happening – not only do I have a new school, but I also start high school. So it happens, in Scotland they start high school at 13, just like in Adelaide. I don’t know how hard it is compared to Australian schools, but high school is something harder and different anyway. Mum was chatting away with the principal. She’s a bit worried, and I guess I am too, what are the other kids going to say about my accent? But the principal says there are a few English students, and we don’t sound that much different from them. She is fascinated at the thought of the school having an Aussie student.

I’m too old for after school care but don’t feel quite ready to go home by myself, and Mum too is concerned about that. The city library has an area where students can go after school, and that area is open till 6.00. The arrangement is that Mum goes there to pick me up when she comes back to town from work. In the morning we go to town together and she’ll watch me go into the school grounds. She keeps nagging me that while I’m in the library I’m to do homework. “I will,” I say, but I wonder how easy it will be to concentrate if there are other kids there and we want to socialise.

Mum is organising a plaque for Dad, to put in the cemetery so we have something to place flowers by in Lerwick. Of course, his actual grave is back in Adelaide, looked after by the caretakers. If we ever manage to go back to Australia for a visit, which I hope we will, then we will have that to go to. She also asked for a bit of his body to be cremated so we will have ashes to scatter here. We did this the other day – walked along the cliffs and emptied the pot. What a sight to see the black ashes fly around the cliff, then the beach then the sea. Mum said, “Now Dad has a bit of Shetland too. He will be able to follow us wherever we go, even if we have to move somewhere else.” 

Of course there was sadness in her voice. We wandered down to the beach to sit on a rock and look at a photo of Dad. One time when we let it out, Mum goes through God knows how many hankies. I cry too, I miss him terribly. But I must admit, being in a strange place, new surroundings, new people, actually makes it easier. Mum asks herself if she made the right decision coming here, I think it did help. Quite a few people we love have died. At least Grandma and Grandpa died of old age, but Dad dying was hard to take. 

Funny on this day when we released the ashes – while we were sitting on the rock, I noticed some man out of the corner of my eye. He was standing on the cliff looking out to the ocean, then down on the beach, then at us. He was wearing a big black coat and jeans. Short reddy-blond hair. He left after looking at us for a minute or so, I don’t know if he knew that I had seen him.*

Well - I’ll be start school pretty soon. Up here the new school year is about to start. Something to try to get used to. Very odd, as in Australia the new year starts with the calendar year. The reason why is because our summer holidays end at the end of January, but up here in the Northern Hemisphere, their summer is in the middle of the year, so that is when their long holidays are. The new school year starts in August. So when we are saying Happy New Year, we won’t be going into a new school year, nor will we be having a long holiday. That is something very different. It also means I start high school early. As you know, because I turned 13 this year, I was still in Grade 7 back in Adelaide. I wondered if I would be doing another whole year of primary school in Scotland but Mum thinks I am ready for high school, and managed to get the principal to agree. She thought I did too much reception at school when I was five and should have started high school a long time ago. I have already done most of Grade 7, and managed to pass despite getting over Dad’s death.

Email soon. I’ll let you know what it’s like up here as I get more used to it. Miriam is a very nice lady. She reminds me of Grandma.

Love from your BFF Jermaine.

*(We can guess who that is. He watches the mother and daughter crying over the photo, and it reminds him of when he and Cassie look at photos of Fran).

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Marie

Today Mum decided we should visit one of Lerwick’s art galleries. Plenty of art places and museums to see. She decided it would do us good. Do it while we have time, before she starts work and I start school. She has always been into culture-type things and arty things – I must say I like them.

While we were wandering round, she got particularly interested in some paintings by a particular lady called Fran Perez. Colourful paintings of Shetland beaches, and a few other beaches from around Scotland, so the staff member told us. We get a few people coming up to talk to us – they seem to be fascinated with having Aussies in their city. The lady told us Fran was from Glasgow, lived in Lerwick for a while and met her husband here. They went back to Glasgow, then he returned to Shetland with their daughter after she died. Very sad to hear she is dead. Mum replied that we too are suffering a loss. Fran died longer ago, but it did affect her husband bad, so the lady said. He is a policeman, and has always thrown himself full-on into his work and caring for the daughter to cope with it all.  
There are paintings of the daughter when she was a little girl. Long dark hair. The lady said she is now 17.

Mum got talking to the lady about other works in the gallery while I walked around. Of course I get told not to go too far. I’m 13, not a little kid, and as if I’m going to get lost in a little art gallery in Shetland. I saw an artist at work in one of the small rooms, a lady doing sculptures out of metal. She stopped to talk to me, said she normally has her own workshop but was working for a week in the gallery to show visitors how she works. She was an older lady, a bit older than Mum, with shoulder-length blonde hair. Her name is Freya Galdie. Mum entered the room when she was looking for me, and Freya immediately starts chatting to her. Most people seem to be fascinated by us two little Aussies, but Freya was in particular. Being an artist she likes different people, but really warmed to us. I think Mum warmed to her, she does seem like a very nice lady. We ended up buying a few pairs of earrings that she made by hand, and Freya even wants us to come and visit her. As we don’t drive, Mum had to ask “How do we get there by bus?” Freya offered to pick us up some time, but Mum thinks it is important to be independent and still wanted to know the buses. Freya lives further into the countryside so bus stops will be in the middle of nowhere, but it isn’t impossible. 

I’m sure we will see plenty of Freya. She even offered to look after me if Mum had to go and do something all day. Miriam has also already offered. Not that it will have to be often, Mum says I’m old enough to be by myself for a little while. It’s only is she needs to be out all day. And while we’re still getting used to everything here. In a few years time I’ll be able to be by myself all day – unless, Mum says, I do something that makes her not trust me. Whatever could she be talking about?  
Well, tomorrow I start school and I’m nervous. I have no idea what the other kids are going to be like, and are they going to like me the same way that the adults do? Are they going to understand my accent? Mum will see me to the gate, then she has to hop on her bus to work.

Wish me luck Marie. I think of you too.  
Your BFF Jermaine.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________-


	2. October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caprice and Jermaine are settled in Shetland. They celebrate Halloween, which is also Caprice's birthday (and mine). Jermaine meets Tosh. Caprice gets concerned about the Hunters arguing.

Dear Alex  
We are getting settled in Lerwick. Looks like we will be in Shetland for a very long time. All our lives? Who knows?

Things seem to have fallen into place. We have been here three months and have a routine. We drag ourselves up in the morning, get ready for school and work, I see Jermaine off in the city, then catch my bus to work. Finish at 5.00 the bus back to the city, meet Jermaine in the library, come home and have tea – haha tea. In Britain and maybe other countries the evening meal is dinner or supper. I’ve been told it is only us Aussies who call the evening meal tea. Miriam has given me some funny looks when I say tea but we can both laugh about it. Over here, tea is what we call afternoon tea – the 4.00 snack.

Turns out that Miriam’s daughter works in the same place as me. Deidre. We became friends instantly. She is a bit taller than her mother with long blonde hair. She is married to a bus driver called Hamish. They have two daughters called Sarah and Annabel. Sarah is Jermaine’s age, Annabel is 11. Sarah is blonde like her mother, Annabel is dark like Hamish. We see a lot of them, often go on walks together along the cliffs or the beach.

Both Deidre and Miriam are talking about us spending Christmas with them, which is good because I was wondering what Jermaine and I would do, being the first Christmas without Mick. 

And as you know, my birthday is coming up, on Halloween. I hadn’t had time to think what I would be doing, as we didn’t know anyone when we first arrived here. Scotland is big on trick or treating – they invented it, even though people at home think of it as being American. There isn’t much of it in Australia, as you know. Jermaine has always wanted to try it out. She may be getting a bit old now, but Deidre said she and Sarah can look after the little kids. While the kids have their Halloween party, we adults will have a little – or wee as they would say here – birthday get-together for me.  
I must ask Freya along. I make a point of having coffee with her every week. Sometimes I go to her home, sometimes her workshop, or she comes to us. Sometimes we meet in town. Usually on the weekend. Sometimes Jermaine comes, sometimes she will be with Sarah, or if it is Saturday morning at her drama school that she has joined.

So Jermaine seems to be happy here, but she did have an upset the other day. I wondered if she would experience any picking on her accent. Most people think nothing of it, or are fascinated by a slightly different accent from a Scottish or English. But some thugs tried to gang up on her one day on her way to the library from school, and called her some derogatory names. She said she felt quite scared, had no idea what to do, but was saved by a policewoman. The young woman was a plain-clothed police officer and flashed her badge at the thugs with, Jermaine says, a ferocious look in her eye. She has probably dealt with many thugs. After a few serious words from the woman, the thugs left.

The policewoman escorted Jermaine to the library and stayed with her for a while. She had to leave and go back to the station before I arrived so I didn’t get to meet her to say thank you. The librarian told me what happened and said Jermaine was ok.

Jermaine chatted with the policewoman and told her a bit about us and learned a bit about her. She is originally from Glasgow, so all her folks are there. Fran Perez’s husband is her boss. And a funny name she has – Tosh!

Another interesting thing I must tell you, Alex. Some couple who live up the top of the street, where the more posh homes are. An arguing couple. It wasn’t long before we heard this couple regularly. We pass their house when we are coming home from the bus stop so can’t help but notice.

Once it was so loud we could hear them from our house. I went outside to look. Nobody else did. The other neighbours must be immune to it. Miriam notice me come out so came out to see me.

“Ignore them,” she said. “It’s the Hunters again. Duncan’s been caught with another woman again.”  
Oh my goodness. Yes, everyone in the neighbourhood knows Duncan and Mary Hunter. Duncan is a womaniser, to say the least. Can’t help himself, but sometimes he gets caught in the act. Apparently he was the first husband of Fran Perez. Fran was sensible, got out. 

Well I must sign off and think about what I’ll be doing for my birthday if Deidre hasn’t already planned it. Love to all the family. Caprice.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Dear Marie  
Halloween!! I’ve had a proper Halloween! And of course it was also Mum’s birthday. Miriam held a little party for Mum in her place, with Deidre and her husband Hamish and Freya. I went with another lady who was organising the trick or treat, along with Sarah and Annabel. The lady’s name is Amber, lives in the next suburb, and has two children, a boy and a girl, aged 7 and 8. Sarah and I, being the older girls, were to help look after the younger kids. As the Scots would say, the wee ones.

I rummaged through our costume box that we had brought along. Miriam calls it our box of tricks. It is stored in the shed in our backyard, with other stuff. I was tossing whether to dress as a devil or put on my Monster High outfit. Mum said the latter, before I grow out of it. It is Draculaura. I grew out of the pink boots that we had bought a few years ago when we first got the costume. I just made do with my black boots. I still have the pink and black striped socks. Sarah dressed as a devil, Annabel as a skeleton. I found bits of my old skeleton costume too, that had a black and white tutu. I lent the tutu to Annabel.

Amber hired a minbus to take us round to the various suburbs so we wouldn’t have to walk totally everywhere. There was a certain courtesy we must follow, and this is probabl y the reason why Halloween didn’t take off much in Australia. Some people don’t like kids knocking on their doors and asking for sweets. Some people are concerned about their kids knocking on the doors of strangers. So the courtesy is that people who are happy to receive the trick or treaters have their porch lights turned on. If it isn’t turned on, you don’t go to that house. And of course, in the case of kids knocking on strangers’ doors, there is an adult to accompany them.  
After the trick or treating we were driven to a local hall for a party. Yes, actual apple-bobbing. Something I wouldn’t want to do every day. The younger kids had a few games similar to birthday parties. Instead of pin the tail on the donkey, it is pin the tail on the devil. They even had a CD player in which we bigger girls could play music and have a dance.

A few teenagers were in the hall to help out, but we were told there was a teenage party on the beach. On some special occasions the usual thing for Shetland teenagers to do is make a bonfire on the beach and have a party. As long as they don’t have a big rainstorm to wash the fire out. And I haven’t seen any big burned marks on the sand, so they must manage to keep it under control and put it out when the party is over. They are experts, they know what they’re doing.  
I don’t know if I will ever want to join the beach party. It looks a bit scary. Maybe if I was amongst more people I knew. Well in a few years time, if we are still here, I hope to know more kids my own age and feel safe.

Mostly I do, but I told you in my last email about that incident with those creepy guys in town, and how I was saved by Tosh. I saw a few policemen wandering the streets when we were driving to the hall in the minibus. I wondered if Tosh was amongst them, I looked out for her. She has long dark hair. Though she is a plain-clothed policelady, so I don’t know if she would be involved in partrolling. It was mainly uniform cops I saw.

After the party Amber drove us all in the minibus and dropped us off at our various homes. Sarah and Annabel were dropped off with me. We found our adults sitting outside in Miriam’s front yard, enjoying the night air despite the cold. In Australia it would be spring during Mum’s birthday and the warm weather would be on its way, as you’re probably finding now. But up here we are towards the end of Autumn and close to the Arctic, so we are feeling the cold. But we like it. Mum always complained about heat, and I didn’t particularly like it. At least when you are cold you can put on another layer, and my new pink coat that was actually bought for a wedding looked good with the Draculaura costume.

Mum was looking happy, even though it was her first birthday without Dad. Miriam and the others had looked after her well. She was looking more peaceful than I had seen for a long time.  
Write soon.  
Your BFF Jermaine.


	3. November

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> St Andrews Day is on. Caprice is getting ready for Christmas and adores the fresh Shetland rains.

Dear Alex

Tonight is the celebration of St Andrews Day. Their patron saint, a public holiday in Scotland. We will go to watch the musicians in the mains streets of the CBD, and there are meant to be a few stalls there too. Jermaine has always told me off when I bought clothes, just like you and Mum and Dad did when we were young. Doesn’t stop her from wanting to buy something. I don’t know if there will be any clothes in the stalls, or whether it will just be food and crafts. Freya is holding a stall. I guess we will have to buy something from her to show our support.

I won’t want to buy too much food there, as afterwards we will be having supper at Deidre and Hamish’s house. When we are more settled I should invite them to our house.

Otherwise things are business as usual, which is good. We seem to have a routine now with work and school. Jermaine is still reluctant to do homework, and I have a hate time trying to push her. I am constantly trying to drill into her head that high school is harder, notwithstanding the fact that there will be some things different in a Scottish school from Australian, as there would be in any new country. Sometimes I get so cross with her I fear that I sound like Mary Hunter.

Winter is certainly here, tomorrow being the first official day. First official day of summer for you. I can feel the air getting more frosty but it doesn’t bother me. The strong winds can be nuisances at times. We’ve had to chase our hats along the beach a few times. Can you imagine how funny that would look in a film? But we were successful in catching them. At least I wear berets most of the time, they stay on. Beanies are pretty firm too, and a lot of people here wear them.

I remember seeing our first rainfall along with a fog. I was having a quick walk along the hills while Jermaine was doing homework (or so I hoped). I felt the drops of rain on my face. I looked up and could see the clouds and the approaching whitish-grey fog, it was awesome. Shetland rain. So far we have had a few drizzle but not real downpours as it has been their summer. This would be a real Shetland downpour and I was literally going to soak it in.

One of the neighbours was calling out to me, worried I was going to get swept away with the wind. I’m not that skinny am I? I don’t know what dangers he was worried about but he called out, “Madam, come in! Madam, you are in Shetland! This is not Australian winter!”

“But it’s awesome!” I called back. Yes I’m a madwoman but I really wanted to experience this downpour. Sure we’ve had storms and heavy rain in Adelaide, but somehow this was different. The rain came, poured down en mass. I unbuttoned my coat and my blouse, pulled my clothes down just under my shoulders and felt the rain.

The shower ceased. The neighbour, who had been standing under the veranda of his workshop to keep dry, finally came out over to me. Worried about me? Of course I’m alright.  
“You look like a drenched rat. I hope you’re going home to change.”

“Yes I am. It was wonderful feeling that on my skin. That rain’s unreal, why don’t the locals do it?”

He laughed. I then went on, “I’m a mad Aussie woman?”

“Your daughter didn’t come out with you?”

“No. She’s at home. I don’t think she’d want to stand in the rain. She’s not game and she would probably say I was embarrassing her. Easier to do it by myself.”

“Actually you look like you could be a selkie, all wet like that.”

Ah, a selkie! A selkie from Down Under who swam through the waters of the poles and found herself in Shetland. Cute story.*

Rest assured, I didn’t catch a cold. Pretty good, considering I am prone to colds. I must say, there is hardly any pollution in Shetland, as the cities aren’t big. The air is very fresh, and the start of winter is very crisp.

As you can imagine it is a very busy time of year – Christmas approaching. I’ve been caught up in decorations and cards and buying a new Christmas tree. I’ve sent your Christmas card, I don’t know when you’ll get it. We know Australia Post is slower these days because they don’t get as much mail with people sending more emails. I don’t know what the post situation is like in Scotland. Ha, here I am criticising emails and what am I doing now? But you know I still send cards at Christmas. They are more personal.

I thought I wouldn’t buying many presents this year, just for Jermaine, as most friends are in Australia. But I’ve made friends already in Shetland, a few of them I would like to give a little something. Especially Miriam. She is so good, she is more than a landlady, she has been a good friend and great support when we have had our sad moments. She made us feel at home right from the word go.

I will try to write again before Christmas amongst the chaos. Now we have this other celebration to get through, so I’d better sign off. Deidre and Hamish will be here any minute.

Your loving sister Caprice.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


	4. December

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caprice is busy with Christmas preparations. She meets Sandy. She also finally meets Duncan and Mary, after hearing them argue from a distance. She doesn't know if Duncan is making a pass at her, but finds him repulsive anyway.

Dear Alex

<

Well, everything seems to happening at present, and it’s not just because Christmas is coming. Of course Christmas is always busy, presents, cards decorations, church services and all. Oh yes, we are attending church with Miriam every Saturday evening, like we did in Australia. I’m trying to encourage Jermaine to be an altar server. She was meant to become one in Adelaide but lost interest. Maybe a smaller community like those in Lerwick will get her interest up again. Especially as she needs to come with me and Miriam, I don’t quite want to leave her alone in the evening just yet. When Mick was still alive she could stay home with him.

But anyway, what else is happening to keep us on our toes? I tell you, I think I shall call the Hunter household the Shetland Soap Opera. They continue to argue and sometimes Jermaine gets scared, which concerns me. Most of the time, she finds it amusing, as the other neighbours appear to. But there have been times when she has gotten a bit upset. 

As we have to walk past their house from the bus stop, I knew we would have to one day see what they look like. And we finally did. We finally had an encounter with them. Duncan decided to storm out and go for a walk, and Mary stood in the front yard yelling. Duncan is a smallish man with grey hair and pointy features. I don’t think he looks anything special, can’t understand why so many women want to have it off with him. Mary has shoulder-length blonde hair and about Miriam’s height.  
Well, Duncan must have had his mind on whatever it was he and Mary were arguing about, probably about one of his women, as he didn’t notice and bumps into me. Nearly knocked me to the ground. “Oh excuse me, miss,” he says. Miss? I’m 52 years old! 

“Yes, excuse me,” I replied. “Now that I’ve finally met you, I need to ask you to try to keep the noise down. My daughter gets upset by it.” Jermaine remained silent as Duncan glanced at her.

“Sorry, we don’t mean to,” said Duncan. He glanced back at Mary. “Talk to her.” Then he looked back at me, having noticed my accent. “You’re the Australian lady I’ve heard about. You live down the road, so I hear.” The look in his eye, I wondered if he was trying to chat me up, make me another of his fancy women. As if I’d be interested in someone like him. Now I’m nothing special, but according to Miriam, he chases after anything that moves. I definitely would not want a married man who looks like a pretzel. Besides, it hasn’t yet been a year since Mick died, so I’m not looking.

I just replied politely, “Yes I am. And we need to get home. And please keep the noise down.”

“May I escort you home?” Oh my god, was I right about him chasing anything that moves?

“We only live at the end of the next street, I think it is safe.” I grabbed Jermaine and started walking away before he could make any more smalltalk.  
Then Mary approached us. She made a proper apology. She explained the problems they were having, some of it to do with other women, a lot to do with him going off to play poker with mates and other wheeling dealing issues in his shoddy businesses that concern her. It was hard to work out how decent a person she is. But why does she remain married to Duncan? At least Fran got out.

When the weather gets colder one would think that criminals would be fewer as they don’t want to go out in the cold. And a small peaceful place like Shetland? But it does happen. Miriam has warned us of a few. I guess one has to keep one’s wits about wherever one goes.  
But something obviously happened in the city one morning. I have no idea what it was, but an area was flagged off and police were walking around looking for whatever clues, and shooing people away. Quite annoying and frustrating that it has to be where my bus stop to work is. How was I meant to get to my bus and get to work?

One cop kept saying, “No madam you can’t walk long here. Crime scene.” I stood there frustrated, complaining how I wanted to get to my stop before my bus came. “What am I to do?” I moaned. A plain-clothed cop appeared and replied, “I’ll escort you.” He walked me along the police flags till we got to some spot which was to be the temporary bus stop till the flags could be removed.

While we were walking I noticed his name on his ID in his pocket. “Alexander Wilson,” I said. “That’s my brother’s name.” Yes Alex, you have a namesake in Shetland!  
He was quite intrigued by that, as well as me being Australian. We got chatting after that. With Wilson being a common name, we wondered if we could be related many millenniums back way back to Noah. His name doesn’t get shortened to Alex. He is known as Sandy.

We were still chatting when the bus arrived. Hamish was driving it, and teased, “Caprice are you going to hold up the bus by chatting up policemen?” I giggled and got on. Sandy said he hoped to see me around again as I said good-bye. Very courteous young man, Sandy.

As the bus drove off, I looked out the window to try to see any female officers onsite, whether one would be Tosh. I was looking for a lady with long dark hair in her thirties. If I ever get to meet her, I would very much like to thank her.

Love to the family, Caprice


	5. January

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Many Scottish celebration happening, including the famous Up Helly Aa. Caprice and Jermaine meet Cassie on Boxing Day, at a time when Mary and Duncan have quarrelled. Caprice gets to meet Tosh at Up Helly Aa.

p>Dear Marie  
We wondered how we would get through Christmas, being our first without Dad, but it appears that if you want non-stop action at this time of year, Shetland is the place to be. A small, quiet part of Scotland, Lerwick not much bigger than country towns, the type of place where you would think people would get bored. But I have not been.

First there was Christmas, then New Year – the Scots call it Hogmanay – and our very first Up Helly AA. Up Helly what? Oh this is some celebration that puts Shetland on the map.

We had Christmas at Sarah and Annabel’s house. And yes it snowed. I have actually had a white Christmas! And a snowfight. We had a good one, and tried to get the grown-ups when they came outside for fresh air, only to make them retreat back inside. Later Mum and Deidre snuck out, running past us, as they went off for a walk towards the cliff. Hamish freaked when we tried to bring snow inside.

And yes we had the traditions that we would at home. Christmas tree, presents, roast turkey and plum pudding. I don’t like plum pudding, though Mum loves it. Mum made a chocolate cake for me and took it along for my desert. Annabel took one look at it and wanted some too. So I didn’t get to have leftover cake.  
Oh and I did get your card and bookmark. They arrived on time. Shetland is small enough that one would hope the posties are better than elsewhere. I showed the bookmark to Sarah and Annabel. They were intrigued by the picture of the koala, I explained to them what it was.

Boxing Day is a holiday in Scotland too. As the shops were closed, Mum and I caught a bus to the countryside – plenty of it in Shetland – had a walk around, dropped in on Freya, who was catching up with her crafts in her workshop, then caught the bus home.

And the Hunters! I wonder if they had arguments on Christmas Day, if Duncan was caught again with one of his funny ladies, or whether he decided to behave himself on Christmas Day. Let’s hope so, Mary could do with some peace. Surely she deserves a nice Christmas. At least we were out so didn’t have to hear anything.

But we did see them on Boxing Day, as we were walking home from the bus stop. Mid-afternoon, and the sun starts to set early because we are in Winter in the Northern Hemisphere. So starting to get dark, and the Hunters are starting to argue. I wonder if they noticed us walking by. Duncan got into his car and drove off, I’m sure he was over the speed limit. Mary walked in another direction in a huff.

We didn’t see any fancy women, but we did see someone else! Mum stopped in surprise! In the Hunters’ front yard was a girl, a bit older than me, long dark hair and big blue bambi eyes. She looked a bit out of place. Was she a visitor? All left on her own because Duncan and Mary had a quarrel?  
Mum spoke. “Hello. Are you left on your own?”

“Yes,” the girls answered. “They’ve had one of their fights again. I don’t know what about, if he’s playing up again.”  
“Do you want to come and wait in our house? We live just down the road. No, maybe not, you don’t know us. Perhaps we can wait here with you until one of them comes back. “  
“You’re not from here?”  
“No, we’re Australian. We came here for a new start after my husband died. We’ve been here about six months. I’m Caprice and this is Jermaine.”  
“I’m Cassie. I’m on holidays from uni.”  
“Are you their niece, Cassie?”  
“No. I’m Duncan’s daughter.”  
Quite a surprise to find out that Duncan had a daughter. Who did she normally live with? Or maybe she was staying till uni went back. But this was the first time we’d seen her. Yes, she could have been with them before, and we hadn’t seen.  
I guess we may have found out more about her as she and Mum were beginning to chat, but Mary came back. Mary looked us up and down. Mum had to “Sorry, she was by herself. She looked a bit upset so we waited with her.”  
“Thank you Caprice,” Mary said stiffly. Then we left to go home.* 

Mum and I were trying to work out who Cassie’s mother was, if it wasn’t Mary. Duncan is a busy ratbag, did he have another wife between Fran and Mary?  
New Year was great. We had it at our place. Sarah and I managed to stay up till midnight but Annabel fell asleep. Miriam managed to stay up but went home to bed immediately after midnight. We saw the fireworks in the distance that were being sent up in town. There were other fireworks on the beach nearby. But the most wonderful thing of all, something I would never see in Australia – well to see it you have to be very very up north like we are. We saw the Northern Lights in the sky. Something we usually just read about. Pity that Annabel didn’t see them, but she’s lived in Shetland all her life so has probably seen them previously. Freya told me they are common during the winter.

It was really strange going back to school immediately after New Year. I’m used to having a long holiday at this time of year. As you’ve been having. Of course I have to remember – you’d think the snow would remind me – that I am now in the Northern Hemisphere. In Australia it is summer in January, so that is when you will have your long holiday. I have to wait till the end of June. So strange, I am used to the school year starting with the calendar year, but up here it starts just after the middle. Mum said to me look at it as starting with the financial year.

And recently Up Helly Aa. Something very new, I’m still getting my head around what it’s all about. Something to do with celebrating mid-winter and Shetland viking heritage – yes they have Norwegian background as well as Scottish. People parading in viking costumes. First there is the children’s parade, Annabel was in that. Then the big one, with the big men in their outfits. I’ve heard there are no women in that parade – hmmpf. But Mum said she’ s not interested in putting on a viking costume. Funny, she was really into costumes when I was younger. But I guess that when I was too, so you go along with whatever your kid is currently into.  
Vikings all over the place. When I thought they would all stay marching in line, some snuck out and came back appearing out of nowhere. One decided to sneak up on Mum. She was sitting on a bench watching the parade while Deidre was fetching Annabel. I noticed the viking coming towards her from behind. She got a tap on the shoulder, turned around and got a shock seeing this viking with a funny red mask right behind her. I think he wanted to give a thrill to this unsuspecting Aussie.  
We followed the crowd to watch the Vikings burn the big ship. That big viking ship that Mum says is such a shame that it has to be burned to a cinders after so much time and effort all year round to build it. We were told a few times the ship was put on a field, so it would be easier for the fire brigade to act if one of the fire torches fell in the wrong spot. But this year, as they often do, the ship was placed in the city’s port, by the sea. You would think that’s a proper place for a ship. And the fire torches – Marie, they are long sticks with fire at the end, and the guys just throw them at the ship as they chant. Well if a stick fell in the water, at least it would go out. But these sticks – they are like things that cavemen would carry.

After the ship is burned to bits, people go their separate ways to have parties. I think the Vikings go and visit various parties and give a bit of a performance. There are enough Vikings to cater for all parties around the world. Maybe we could put some on a Qantas plane and send them to you. Australia having its own Up Helly Aa, that would be something. There are certainly many Australians with Scottish background, we’ve got some, I don’t see why it wouldn’t be out of place. Australia being multi-cultural and all.

Oh and we did see Tosh. Mum had wanted to meet her. Of course she was on duty. She said all cops are in force on this night, as towards the end of the night some people drink too much and get out of control. Mum asked her if she knew Sandy, the policeman she had met before Christmas who was nice to her. With Lerwick being so small, I guess most of the cops do know each other. Tosh and Sandy work together.  
Tosh also told us something very interesting. In passing conversation Mum mentioned Cassie. Apparently Tosh knows about the Hunters. Sandy father worked for Duncan a few years ago, and wasn’t treated that great. And of course their boss was married to Fran, who had been married to Duncan before. Turns out Fran was Cassie’s mum.

Mum said, “Then who does Cassie live with? Or does she live with Duncan Mary and is usually at uni? We hadn’t noticed her before.”  
No, turns out she lives with Fran’s second husband. The head policeman. Her stepfather! Strange, but Tosh shrugged her shoulders and said that’s how it worked out. Mum replied that maybe it was Fran’s wish. I wouldn’t particularly like a father like Duncan.

Well, I have to get back to study and normal routine. Mum is working as normal. I don’t know when the next celebration will be. In February will be Valentines Day, but that will be sad. Like other special days, Mum’s first Valentines Day without Dad. We will probably visit his plaque on that day.  
Till next time  
Your BFF Jermaine. __________________________________________________________ *(As the Australians go home, Cassie says,"She's widowed, so is Dad. Hmmmmmm" Mary: "Cassie, you're thinking of introducing them?" Cassie: "I don't know, they might like each other." Well, wait till Part 2.)


	6. April

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Easter has passed. One of Duncan's conquests hides in Caprice's front yard and causes problems. Caprice calls the police. One of the police who come out is Billy. So now Caprice has met the whole team, but one.

Dear Alex  
After the big celebrations in January it has been business as usual for my work and Jermaine’s school. We got through Valentines Day ok. We visited the plaque that we had put up for Mick in the cemetery. We had a red rose. First time I had noticed, on this day of all days. Fran Perez’s plaque is a few rows behind Mick’s. Coincidence. As we left, we wondered if Cassie and her stepfather would visit there today.

Then there was Easter. Being religious, there were all the church services to attend. Very similar to the services in Australia, there was Holy Thursday where 12 people volunteer to act as disciples and have their feet washed. I was amongst them, as I often was in Adelaide. Good Friday had the Stations of the Cross in the morning, which is done by the children, and Veneration of the Cross in the afternoon. Saturday Night marks the end of Lent, so afterwards I could have some wine again – you probably know I give up alcohol for Lent. It was the first Holy Saturday service Jermaine had been to. Previously I thought it would be too late for her so she would stay home with Mick. I didn’t have a baby-sitter this year, as Miriam also comes to Mass, and I don’t feel quite ready to leave her on her own at night time. Though she is getting older, it won’t be long when she can stay home alone. And because she’s getting older, I thought maybe she could sit through the Saturday Mass, and she managed it. Then Sunday morning is the official Easter service, and the kids were given chocolate eggs.

So all seems peaceful, except when Jermaine won’t do her homework or when the Hunters argue. Oh I had a very interesting evening last week. I don’t like to get police involved but seems I didn’t have a choice. One of Duncan’s fancy women again. Jermaine and I were on our way home from the bus stop, and the woman zooms past us, obviously not wanting to be caught by Mary, and decides to hid behind one of the hedges in our front yard.

I wasn’t overly impressed, though Jermaine had a bit of a giggle. I told the woman this was private property and she was to leave, she was trespassing.  
“You don’t understand, I don’t want to face Duncan’s wife,” replies the trollop.

“Then don’t take up with a married man,” I said. “It may not be my business what you get up to, but if you are going to enter my premises, then it does become my business. Now please leave. I’ll fetch my landlady.”

The woman kept trying to plead. I shook my head and told Jermaine to knock on Miriam’s door. Now you may ask has there ever been a time when I was in a desperate situation and would plead like crazy to an unsympathetic bystander. I don’t know, maybe, but what I do know is that I would never commit adultery . So no, I wasn’t sympathetic. I began to ask her, “How did you get here? Do you have a car? Just go home. If you don’t drive, I can tell you the bus times.” But of course, she has to go past the Hunters’ house to get to the bus stop.

I didn’t know whether to offer to ring a taxi, but then I thought why should I be helping Duncan’s bit on the side? And by the way, where is Duncan himself? Did he run off when trouble got big, and left this woman and Mary to face the music?

Miriam appeared and gave the woman a firm order to leave. She even mentioned calling the police, though we didn’t really want to do that for something so trivial.  
Finally the woman got stroppy and sneered at me, “I don’t take orders from a dirty colonial.” She had obviously noticed my accent and decided to make derogatory remarks about it. Which didn’t impress me at all. I then said, “That’s it, I’m calling the police.”

I didn’t waste time. Instead of going inside and using my landline, I knew it would be quicker to call on my mobile while I had it on me. The woman at first thought I was joking and stayed put. When she realised I had actually done it, she got up out of the hedge and proceeded to leave, but the cops were very quick and prompt, and were already here. Lerwick being so small a city, I guess it would take long, and if there were some cars out on the beat, they would be able to get here in no time.

There was no need to arrest the woman but the cops gave her a talking to, a warning. One of them escorted her to the bus stop. Mary won’t do anything if a cop is there. An older cop said he would go and look for Duncan, as he knows him. He proceeded up to the Hunters’ home, and came back to us a few minutes later.  
“Did you find him?” I asked.

“No, he’s snuck off but I spoke to Mary. She will tell him to contact me personally tomorrow morning. I don’t want to have to tell my boss.”  
You said you know Duncan?”

“Aye. He was the first husband of my boss’s late wife. We all know him. He gets up to all kinds of things, and the boss has to pull him in line. He even rocks up at the station at times, he’s no stranger to us.”

“I sympathise with you. You are very good coming out here.”

“I normally look after the desk and research things at the station for the boss. But when I heard that Duncan was involved in this, I thought I’d better come with the beat boys.”

“Then you really are very good, thank you Mr....what is your name?”

“Billy McCabe.”

“Would you like a coffee, Billy?”

“I’d love one.”

“Come inside. You’ll join us Miriam?”

Jermaine now piped up, and once she starts talking it’s hard to shut her up? The first thing she asks Billy is does he know Tosh.

“I know Tosh very well. We’re in the same team.”

“And Sandy too?”

“Aye, Sandy. You’ve met them all? Except the boss.”

“No,” I replied. “He’s the only one we haven’t met, but we know who he is. Both Sandy and Tosh speak highly of him, he sounds like a great person.”  
“He is indeed. One of the best bosses one could have. When he’s tough he’s tough, but very very caring. To us, and to the victims of the crimes we have to solve.”  
“Sounds like we are in good hands in Lerwick, with such nice people in the police force.”

Billy stayed for half and hour, then had to get back. I guess he would have to pack up at the station before going home to his family. He talked a little about himself. He has a wife called Jean and two teenage children, one about to start uni. He will be going to Lerwick Uni, not Glasgow like Cassie is.

He also talked of his conversation with Mary. She realises the impact Duncan’s behaviour is having on us and the other neighbours. She is no more happy about it than we are. When we hear her yelling it is easy to get annoyed with her as we do with Duncan, but I guess it can’t be easy for her. I could say why doesn’t she leave him but she probably has her reasons. I asked Billy if she works. He doesn’t think so. That’s the thing, if you don’t work and are dependent on your husband – in this day and age – what can you do? We who work have something to fall back on if the marriage doesn’t work. I never had that problem, but I had to keep working because Mick retired early. Why I had to find more work when I lost my long time job in the ATO. Now of course I’m widowed so I definitely need to work.

Well Alex, it is very late. I’d better get to bed, or I won’t be great for work. Glad to hear all is well with you and the rest of the family.  
All my love, Caprice.


End file.
